J. Gresham Machen on Public and Private Education

I came across this quote recently and am using it in a speech tomorrow on the Christian Vote in Contemporary Australian Politics. I couldn't have said it better myself:

A public-school system, in itself, is indeed of enormous benefit to the race. But it is of benefit only if it is kept healthy at every moment by the absolutely free possibility of the competition of private schools. A public-school system, if it means the providing of free education for those who desire it, is a noteworthy and beneficent achievement of modern times; but when it becomes monopolistic it is the most perfect instrument of tyranny which has yet been devised. Freedom of thought in the middle ages was combated by the Inquisition, but the modern method is far more effective. Place the lives of children in their formative years, despite the convictions of the parents, under the intimate control of experts appointed by the state, force them to then to attend schools where the higher aspirations of humanity are crushed out, and where the mind is filled with the materialism of the day, and it is difficult to see how even the remnants of liberty can subsist. Such a tyranny, supported as it is by a perverse technique used as the instrument in destroying human souls, is certainly far more dangerous than the crude tyrannies of the past, which despite their weapons of fire and sword permitted thought at least to be free.

J. Gresham Machen. "Christianity & Liberalism", pp.11-12.

Reformed Romantics: Ezekiel 24 and the Death of Marriage

It has been a while since I posted, for which my sincere apologies. The business of preparing for and then receiving a new baby in the house has occupied my mind considerably. But Onwards and Upwards I say...

I'll also flag that it is at this point that my reflections on Biblical marriage will take a slight deviation from the mainstream. I'm also going to skip over a lot of material so we can move forward to Ezekiel 34, which I believe marks a turning point in God's plans for human marriage in relation to his plan of redemption.

Marriage as a human institution takes a bit of a backseat for most of the Old Testament. There are, of course, passages in the Torah regarding the regulation of marriage for the nation of Israel (e.g. Leviticus 18, Numbers 36). Following this, it is assumed that human marriage continues, with young people being given in marriage to each other, begetting children, and so progressing the covenant. When marriage is discussed it is usually when there is a problem (e.g. Samson's taking of a Philistine wife in Judges 14). These problems function as warning signs that spiritual trouble is not far away. Solomon's taking of many wives from foreign kingdoms and Jezabel's domination of Ahab may also be cited as examples. Song Of Songs is a notable exception, but the restraint and yearning of this romantic drama contrasts markedly with the absence of such behavior in actuality.

As Israel moves into the Prophetic Age, "unfaithful marriage" is an image used by the Pre-Exilic prophets in particular to describe the deterioration of the relationship between the Jewish nation and God. In all cases, God is described as the husband betrayed by an unfaithful wife (e.g. Jeremiah 3, Ezekiel 16). The prophet Hosea is even commanded to take a woman of soiled reputation as a public display of the shame that Israel has brought upon their God.

As the situation cannot continue, God eventually brings things to a head and judgment is visited on Israel and Judah in turn. Yet the question must be asked: does the end of the spiritual marriage between God and Israel signal an end (or at least a shift) in the physical marriage of Man and Woman?

I believe that the answer lies in Ezekiel 24:15-27 and the death of the wife of the prophet. For years I spent wondering if God was a Moral Monster. Here was a woman, who had apparently committed no great sin, brought to an early death by a God intent on making a point. Moreover, her husband was not allowed even to mourn for her death as a sign of the coming judgment. Ezekiel's pain is evident even through the restrained narrative. I could understand and accept God taking away an unfaithful wife as a symbol, but to wrench the delight of a man's eyes away from him seemed heartless and cruel.

After much thought, I have come to a tentative solution:

The death of Ezekiel's wife represents the end of human marriage as the central mode of covenant progression and identity.

What has struck me as I read through the promises of deliverance from exile in Ezekiel and Jeremiah in particular is that the concept of marriage is not "resurrected". God does not "divorce" his bride and then "remarry" again. The image of marriage is basically insignificant to the Post-Exilic prophets as well. Instead, the image of Jeremiah 31 and Ezekiel 36 is God forming a new covenant with the lost who have been scattered through their rebellion. Those who will be part of the New Covenant will be Spiritually rather than Physically begotten. However good human marriage remains in its created state, it will never occupy the same central role in the redeemed community as it did for Israel under the Old Covenant. Marriage will no longer be the procreative means to a redemptive end and will not theologically dominate the covenant community.

Rockin' Christmas Books 2: "No Regrets" by Ace Frehley

In the early 1970s American rock 'n roll was at a shockingly low ebb. Few of the superstars who ruled the heights of Woodstock survived into the following decade. New harder acts like The Stooges and Alice Cooper showed the way of the future but had little impact within the mainstream. From 1970 to 1973 British bands ruled the States - The Who, Stones, Yes, and (of course) Led Zeppelin. Then, astoundingly, the USA produced two bands who became primary influences on mainstream rock for the next two decades - Aerosmith and KISS.

Between them, Joe Perry and Ace Frehley encouraged a generation of teenage boys (who otherwise would have become climate scientists or health care professionals) to spend hours striking rockstar poses in front of their bedroom mirrors. Perry and Frehley took the blues-rock of the 60s British superstars (Peter Green, Mick Taylor, Clapton, Townshend, etc) and gave it a major American shot of adrenaline and glitz. While Perry has so far elected to Let The Music Do The Talking, Ace has recently shed some light on his glorious and alcohol-soaked career.

Let me start with some of the same gripes that I had about Tony Iommi's book. First up, No Regrets has to be one of the most unimaginative titles ever presented. It appears to have no reference to Ace's career. I can think of several better titles off the top of my head - Trouble Walkin', Insane, even Rock Soldier. It's the same Work Experience Kid doing the cover as well - boring fonts, boring pictures. Most unattractive.

These flaws are easily forgiven, however, because Ace Frehley is one hell of a storyteller! This book has everything the serious (or even casual) fan of KISS could want. KISS were never a band to do things by half, collectively and individually. Each of the four original members were given licence by their fame to indulge in their passions. For Ace, this involved alcohol, drugs, fast cars, and card games. In the midst of it all we have the story (from Ace's perspective) of the band who gave the world some of the greatest rock riffs of all time.

Unlike Iommi, Ace Frehley has no problem with exposing his own faults and failings. Car chases and accidents are recounted in gory detail. The reader learns that Frehley was (twice) saved from drowning while under the influence of alcohol by the eternally sober Gene Simmons. Many other stories of life on the road and experiences in the studio permeate the narrative. It is a gripping tale from first to last.

Of course, no great tale is complete without a great villain. Frehley's nemesis, unsurprisingly, is the driven bassist Simmons, who in the past has had some blunt assessments of the impact of Frehley's addictions on the well-being of the KISS brand. The animosity between the two dates to their first meeting, but neither could deny the chemistry that Frehley brought to the band. One of Frehley's aims in publishing this book is to directly refute some of the barbs that have come from Simmons over the years, as well as firing a few return shots of his own.

Of course, the book isn't perfect. Frehley does gloss over the less glamorous period of the late 1980s and dire predicament his career was in by the time of the reunion of KISS in 1996. Additionally, readers may be somewhat alarmed that he firmly believes he was abducted by aliens. Yes, you read that right. This story first came out during an interview on the Eddie Trunk radio show about five years ago, where a clearly drunk Frehley related a tale of strange lights in his backyard to a bewildered and increasingly uncomfortable Trunk. Amazingly, he does not back down from the story (or even consider the possibility that it may have been a tequila-induced hallucination. What this does to the credibility of the rest of the narrative is a matter of individual judgment.

On the whole, No Regrets is a much more satisfying account of the story of KISS than the highly airbrushed "official" accounts currently on offer. In addition, the reader gains an insight into the mind of one of the true legends of rock guitar. Highly recommended.

Four bottles of Cold Gin out of Five.

Reformed Romantics: Marriage and OT Covenant Progression

If we are correct in our observation that the place and function of marriage and sexuality is related directly to God's character and rule, then we would expect to find that the coming of the Abrahamic covenant would impact on a theological view of human relationships. This is exactly what we find.

Genesis 4-11 continues in establishing the theological worldview of the first Jew, Abraham. These chapters are better read through Theological rather than Historical glasses (though I believe historical facts are contained there). A reader cannot help being struck by the rapid progress of humanity within God's creation, which is attested to in the genealogical lists. Far from being "space fillers", these lists show that the marriage and sexuality functioned exactly according to God's purpose even while the relationship between Human and Divine was ruptured. Humanity was fruitful and multiplied. However, this fruitfulness was about to be given a special dignity in a particular instance.

To a childless man of pensionable age in southern Iraq, God made promises of Land, Descendants, Nationhood, and Blessing. Of all the families in the world (who had no trouble in reproducing) God selected the most unlikely candidate for fathering a dynasty. It was done in order to show God's power and grace to the whole world and to repair the damage done by the first man in Eden. For Abraham and Sarah, marriage and children were no longer merely part of a creation mandate, but they were now to be the method of transmitting God's grace not only to their descendants but to the whole world. The sign of circumcision was not a random choice, but a deliberate red flag that Fertility was the hope for the future. Moreover, it symbolised the spiritual marriage between God and Israel, an image prominent in the Old Testament.

As the story of Genesis progresses the reader is made aware that not all activity within covenant-oriented marriages seems to advance God's cause. In fact, the actions presented are a mixture of Covenant Progressive and Covenant Subversive. Sarah bears Abraham a son (Progressive) but also directs her husband to adultery and allows herself to be a sexual plaything for foreign rulers (Subversive). Rebbecca bears two sons to Isaac (Progressive) but dishonours her husband by supporting the younger son to deceitfully gain the covenant blessing (Subversive). This will be a pattern repeated though the Old Testament, indicating that while marriage and childbearing will be the means of covenant progression it was never a perfect means. The system prospered only because God's faithfulness was stronger than the faithless families to whom he swore his covenant.

Rockin' Christmas Books 1: "Iron Man" by Tony Iommi

The approaching festive season for me (and many others) usually means Books. Books as presents, books for presents, books to divert the kids, books to prop open doors/windows, etc. Many of my clerical colleagues no doubt use the slower pace of the post-Christmas period to read some of the serious theological works published in the previous 12 months that have joined the rapidly growing Must Read List. I hope to do a bit of that as well. But I also like to relax a bit and so I require books that Rock! Or rather, I love books about People Who Rock.

One of my more popular posts was this from last year, which described the various types of musical biography out there (along with some of my favourites). Well, now that I've cleared the path for you, I thought I'd devote a few posts over the next week or so to some of the latest offerings in the Rock Biography genre which you may be tempted for that Special Headbanging Someone this Christmas.

First up: Iron Man by Tony Iommi.

Iommi is the guitarist in Black Sabbath, whose detuned riffing and blistering solos gave birth to the genre of Heavy Metal. He has also shared the stage with some of the most prominent, talented, and controversial figures in rock music. Tony should have a bunch of good stories up his sleeve.

I'll get my biggest gripe out of the way first - the graphic design of this book is TERRIBLE! Front cover is a close up of Tony's face with unimaginative block lettering down the bottom. For some reason the "M" in "Man" is written in Iron Maiden script. Huh??? Given that Sabbath weren't short of good fonts on their album covers surely it couldn't have been too hard to use something that even vaguely embodied the band the author actually played in. Seriously, they either gave this cover to the Work Experience Kid or (more likely) the publisher had to put out something in a hurry to meet a deadline. Given that Sabbath announced their comeback album and tour a couple of weeks ago I get the impression that time wasn't a luxury.

Of course, we can't judge a book by the cover, and surely once we get inside Tony will keep us enthralled with tales of Excess On The Road...

Well, yes and no. Tony gives us his perspective on Sabbath's long and controversial career, and that alone makes the book important. He has chosen to construct his memoir as a chronological series of anecdotes. Each chapter runs about 3-5 pages and is presented in a conversational style, which is helpful for those (like Ozzy) with ADHD, but more than a little frustrating for anyone who graduated primary school. At best, it feels like you are sharing a pint or 60 down the pub with Tony while he shares his Best Recollections. Actually, if the publisher had framed the book in that way it would have been a much more enjoyable read. Tony has been presented by bandmates past and present as being little more than a Control Freak, and he takes the opportunity here to answer his critics and provide his side of the story. He even comes off as moderately likeable and I even found myself thinking, "I reckon I could have been in a band with this guy. He's just misunderstood." Nevertheless, Iron Man lacks two things that could have turned it from Decent Read to Quality Memoir.

Lack #1 - Effort. This book feels like someone pressed the Record button, transcribed the results, and stuck a cheap-ass cover on it. Not everyone is going to go to the level of Nikki Sixx, whose Heroin Diaries were a work of art as well as being hilarious and revolting. But even those who have followed a more traditional format (Steve Tyler, David Lee Roth, Tommy Lee, Anthony Kiedis, etc) have made sure that the reader walks away with more than a collection of short stories. Again, perhaps time pressures were an issue and Tony didn't get to realise his vision. That said, Tony has held the status of Rock Legend for several decades now - this book was going to come out sooner or later and Tony had plenty of time (in the last decade in particular) to have cobbled together something a little better than this.

Lack #2 - Juiciness. You know those cakes you sometimes get at the houses of Old People, that dry sponge with no icing that you need two pots of tea to wash down? Imagine that in book form. Black Sabbath was a band whose level of craziness on the road was at least a match for Led Zeppelin. Ozzy Osbourne has boasted that while in Sabbath he took LSD for a year just to see what would happen. You would think Tony would have some fantastic tales to tell. Well, he does, but in this instance he is keeping his mouth shut. Sure there is the occasional road story, but most are fairly tame and if you are even moderately acquainted with Ozzy and the boys you will have heard much worse elsewhere. Either Tony is so ashamed of his and others' behaviour that he has chosen to expunge it from the record (unlikely) OR the cordial (and profitable) relationship that he has re-established with the Osbourne camp (re: Sharon) and the potential for future earnings meant that he chose to keep many such stories under wraps. As such, there is no REAL insight into what it was like to be in Black Sabbath during the glory days of 1969-1983. Sure, the comings and goings of musicians and managers is documented accurately and each album is analysed for its merits (or lack thereof). The keen fan will already be aware of much of this, and will probably come away with amazement that Tony chose to keep flogging the dead horse for so long.

To be fair, maybe one of Tony's problems is that he is English, a race not known for self-examination and public confession. Even the working class of Birmingham, it seems, retain a Stiff Upper Lip at all times. In my experience, works on English musicians tend to work best when someone else is observing and interpreting the events and characters. Chris Welch's biography of Yes was a great example of a trusted insider getting notoriously reticent British musicians to say what they really thought about each other. Because Iron Man is totally Tony's story there is no-one to probe his inconsistencies and get beyond a purely subjective re-reading of events.

Fans of heavy metal and those new to the Black Sabbath story enjoy Iron Man. Despite its shortcomings it is not a bad book and gives a useful overview of the progress of such an important band from the perspective of its main creative voice. However, hardcore fans will be disappointed by its shortcomings and won't easily forgive the lack of detail regarding the band's most sordid periods.

2.5 War Pigs out of 5.

Reformed Romantics: Fallen Sexuality, Relationships, and Genesis 3

For those who might be panicking slightly, I am not intending to give a chapter-by-chapter reflection on marriage and relationships for the whole Bible! I will be moving on more quickly if you bear with me for a little longer. A quick recap:

The creation of humanity as relational beings by God is a reflection of Trinitarian character and action. With respect to character, human beings are "like" God in that they are able to relate in within a matrix of intertwining personal similarities and differences. Relationships extend outside of Self to include Other through love. In action, Male and Female are created to be partners in the work that God has given them to do which reflects godly priorities. In Genesis 1-2 this is the stewardship of the earth and the expansion of humanity. While this work remains ongoing, it is not necessary that this remain the primary task of humanity. In fact, the context suggests that the relationships between Male and Female will necessarily adapt to new tasks emanating from the priorities of God.

Total Depravity is a theological touchstone of the Reformed tradition. As John Calvin puts it:

...all parts of the soul were possessed by sin after Adam deserted the fountain of righteousness. For not only did a lower appetite seduce him, but unspeakable impiety occupied the very citadel of his mind, and pride penetrated to the depths of his heart. (Institutes II.i.9)

It is obvious that human sexuality and gender relations must be impacted by the rebellion. The question is how far this fallenness extends. Has marriage been "ruined" by the Sin of Eden?

There is no need to read into Genesis 3 any Freudian symbolism with respect to reptiles and fruit. Corruption of interpersonal relationships, with particular pertinence for the romantic variety, is evident from Gen 3:7. Romantic dysfunction is a result, not a cause, of the Fall. Yet it appears this is not an Epic Fail scenario. While in v.16 an increase in childbirth pain is given as a curse, the woman also receives an assurance from God in that the whole process of childbirth and marriage remains a blessing. The waw at v.16b should best be read as disjunctive, implying that despite the agony the woman will retain a desire for her husband and he will retain headship over her in a marriage covenant. The NRSV gives, I believe, the best translation ("...you shall bring forth children, yet your desire..."). The NIV ignores the particle, making it unclear as to how the second half of the verse should be interpreted. The HCSB is way off the mark by ignoring this first particle and translating the second waw into a disjunctive when it is obviously meant to be a connective (Your desire will be for your husband, yet he will dominate you."), thereby rendering v.16b as a curse when it meant to be an extension of grace. Two observations can be made regarding marriage and relationships from this chapter.

First, romantic relationships between Male and Female remain blessed by God and are obviously meant to be continued in some form even given the fallen state of humanity. God did not rip Male and Female asunder in his judgment - if he did, there is no reason why the Man and Woman left Eden to continue their lives together. In bearing children they still appear to be fulfilling the work that God had given them to do. When children are finally born it is said to be with the Lord's help (Gen 4:1). At this point we cannot say that Marriage Is Doomed by sin.

Second, despite the blessings that remain with the Man and Woman, we need to take the fallen nature of sexuality and relationships seriously. I have noticed a particularly American synonym for "virginity" cropping up in Australian circles - "purity". I think it is partially due to a certain Anglo-Saxon middle-class aversion to being blunt. "I have a Purity Problem" sounds a lot more palatable than "I can't stop watching gay porn on the internet." There are two problems with the "purity" word. First, the few instances of 'agneia in the NT do not specifically refer to sexual behaviour but to a consistent pattern of godly behaviour in all matters of public conduct. A thief has as much of a "Purity Problem" as an adulterer. Second, "purity" implies the a priori existence of something pure. However, the reality is that the Chaste Virgins of Victorian Romances share the same fallen sexuality as Bangkok Lady-boys. It is not surprising, therefore, that measures designed to "safeguard" the purity of Christian youth such as Purity Rings or Abstinence Only Sex-Ed should end up being abject failures in practice. This fallen sexuality will therefore continue to manifest itself in relationships, including marriages between mature Christian persons. There is no place or context in the current age where fallen sexuality cannot undermine true love and service of either God or Neighbour.

Reformed Romantics: Helpers and Genesis 2

Much ink has already been spilt in recent times with respect to the nature of the created genders in Genesis 2. Attention has been drawn, by Ash amongst others, to the fact that the Woman is to be a "helper" (Heb: 'uzer) to the Man in his God-given tasks. Woman is to play a central role in this work. She is not Man's companion, cook, whore, go-fer, or any other demeaning functionary. Man's task would be impossible to accomplish without Woman. Tracing the use of "helper" in the Old Testament we find it applied most often to God himself. God is the Helper of Israel, the one who delivered his people from Pharaoh (Exod 18:4), protected them from their enemies (Deut 33:7), and because of his protection is the one to be praised (Ps 28:7). The fact that Woman is called a "helper" is, according to the use of the label in Jewish culture, a term of the highest honour and respect.

Two questions must therefore be answered if this passage is to serve in ongoing edification for Christians.

First: What exactly is the task that Man needs a helper for? The clear answer is to have dominion over the whole of creation by the exercise of God-shaped rule. This is to be achieved through subduing all creatures of the earth and bearing of children to be a future generation of stewards. This is a task that will continue as long as the present age. In order for humanity to continue a new generation must always be born and animals that are not continually subdued will turn feral, which would not serve either their purpose or ours. We must say that in the plans of God the ongoing institution of marriage between Man and Woman must be considered Good.

Second: Does this Imperative Of Eden remain central to humanity's place in the purposes of God? If we marry and keep a few chickens in the backyard are we then "truly human"? When the biblical narrative is taken as a whole it is clear that, in terms of human relationships, God desires more from us than simply pairing up for procreation. In fact, I am tempted to ask whether this facet of our humanity, Good as it remains, shifts from Centre to Periphery in the purposes of humanity.

As the Bible unfolds more and more is commanded of humanity by God. Our task, in other words, shifts from one of Dominion to one of Redemption following the entry of Sin in Genesis 3. If this is the case, then it is only logical to assume that the way in which Woman continues to be the helper of Man must also change. It follows that, if procreation is not the main game, then patterns of godly relationship should shift away from the Marriage, though the Goodness of such relationships as they are proscribed by God remains.

Next time: How does the marriage relationship support the shifted task of humanity once Eden is in the rear view mirror?